Ph.D in Transdisciplinary Design at Alliance School of Design, Bengaluru Offline Course

The challenges faced today and, in the future, require a transdisciplinary approach, calling for collaboration among individuals from diverse backgrounds. With each domain offering unique perspectives on problems, there is a crucial need for an integrated blending of disciplines. The Alliance University Ph.D. programme in Transdisciplinary Design embodies this innovative approach, engaging in a wide range of research spanning theoretical and applied domains. This programme is designed to foster creative solutions that transcend disciplinary boundaries and tackle the complex challenges faced by society during times of transition. By equipping future leaders with the necessary tools and practices to fuse data, technology, and design, the programme aims to address pressing social, economic, political, and environmental issues, thereby bridging the gap between the natural and social sciences and the trans formative power of design.   

Salient Features : 

• The programme aims to cultivate researchers equipped to pioneer new directions and intersections addressing contemporary design challenges.  
• The programme emphasizes transdisciplinary design praxis integrating theory and action closely, viewing theory as practice and practice as theory, capable of effecting change beyond mere critique.
• Students explore dynamic professional paths in emerging technologies of design, research, policy, and strategy.
• They become transformation enablers, contributing to collaborative social knowledge production through actions focused on equity, justice, and sustainability. 
• They also engage in multi-directional learning with the community, creative practitioners, industry and government leaders, and scholars to develop new transdisciplinary approaches beyond their disciplinary specializations. 
• The programme allows students to engage in both applied and theoretical research.
• Applied research involves conducting original investigations to gain new knowledge, new creative outcomes and innovation partly through engaging in practice and analysing its outcomes.
• Theoretical research focuses on understanding and improving practice itself, leading to new knowledge with practical significance.  
• The primary aim is to advance knowledge about or within the practice. In a doctoral thesis, the results of practice-led research may be presented solely in text form, without including a creative outcome.

 Areas of Research

Our esteemed faculty brings with them a wealth of experience in seamlessly integrating methods, theories, and tools from various disciplines to catalyse transdisciplinary design collaborations. Through a robust network comprising of a variety academic departments, industry partners, and NGOs, our programmme actively promotes transdisciplinary design research across diverse fields. Encouraging exploration beyond conventional academic boundaries, we uphold practice-based research as a conduit for generating knowledge that transcends disciplinary constraints and drives meaningful scholarly engagement. Our programme acknowledges the interconnectedness of environmental and social challenges, grounded in cultural and biological diversity. 

The scholarly practitioners within our programme exemplify relational leadership and employ practice-based research methodologies drawn from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to forge transdisciplinary pathways that seamlessly blend meticulous analysis with innovative problem-solving. Scholars are urged to seek interdisciplinary collaborations across a spectrum of industries, encompassing the creative sector, governmental bodies, businesses, educational institutions, healthcare enterprises, and the broader community, as they delve into multifaceted, real-world projects.

Course Work

We welcome students from diverse academic or professional backgrounds, such as engineering, cognitive sciences, humanities, fine arts, design, cinema, management, and public policy. Our programme aims to enhance their ability to define and co-create transdisciplinary research problems and solutions using design thinking.

Research topics are proposed upon admission and finalised upon programme entry, aligning with current faculty interests. Applicants articulate their proposals clearly, investigating specific interdisciplinary issues. The coursework teaches crucial research methods, fostering a curious and creative mindset. It encourages students to ask critical questions and innovate new methods. Our curriculum integrates research and action-oriented approaches, addressing complex challenges like climate change and social welfare. It imparts advanced knowledge in transdisciplinary design processes, enabling students to position their doctoral thesis within broader societal transitions. Students collaborate, critiquing existing paradigms and proposing alternatives through various approaches and explorations.

  Upon completing the coursework, candidates will demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:

• Assessing the suitability and application of design thinking for transdisciplinary research.
• Developing innovative knowledge, methodologies, and interpretations in their field.
• Analysing design-related literature through interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Planning and executing research initiatives spanning the social sciences.
• Challenging established assumptions and practices using design methodologies.
• Integrating design methodologies creatively in research and practical contexts.
• Defining research inquiries and solutions within a transdisciplinary framework.